📖 Biblical Definition
Scripture teaches that conversion — turning from sin to God — is the central call of the Gospel. "Repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with your repentance" (Acts 26:20). The Bible clearly identifies sexual immorality, including homosexual practice, as sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) — and then immediately declares the power of transformation: "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Biblical conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit transforming the whole person — desires, identity, and behavior — not a human technique, but a divine act of grace that Scripture promises and the early church experienced.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Conversion: A turning or change from one state to another; a change from one religion to another, or from one party to another.
expand to see more
CONVERSION, n. 1. A turning or change from one state to another. 2. A change from one side, party, or religion to another. 3. In a theological or moral sense, a change of heart, or dispositions, in which the enmity of the heart to God is subdued, and a supreme preference given to God. Webster understood conversion as a genuine turning — not a technique to be banned, but a transformation to be celebrated.
📖 Key Scripture
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 — "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified."
• Acts 26:20 — "They should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance."
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 — "If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation."
• Romans 6:6 — "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
The label "conversion therapy" is used to criminalize biblical counseling and pastoral care.
expand to see more
The phrase "conversion therapy" has been deliberately weaponized to conflate abusive secular practices (electroshock, coercion) with faithful Christian ministry that calls sinners to repentance and offers the hope of transformation through Christ. Legislative bans on "conversion therapy" are increasingly written so broadly that they could criminalize a pastor reading 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 to a congregant struggling with sexual sin, or a parent praying with their child. The goal is not to protect the vulnerable but to establish the doctrine that sexual identity is immutable and sacred — and that the Gospel's offer of transformation is harmful. This is a direct assault on the church's right and obligation to preach repentance and the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives.
Usage
• "Paul wrote 'such were some of you' — the entire Gospel is conversion therapy, and it is the only therapy that actually works."
• "Banning 'conversion therapy' as broadly defined would criminalize the pastoral ministry that the church has practiced for two thousand years."